Pedigree Dogs

Many people will be horrified to learn that underneath the glossy veneer of the UK's biggest beauty pageant for dogs, lies the ugly fact that the way some of our favourite breeds of dog have been bred to look, can cause them chronic discomfort, pain and suffering throughout their lives and can even lead to their premature or painful deaths.

Last week we were all shocked by the heartbreaking photos of Hope the dog who was found emaciated and half the weight she should have been. She was described by a vet as the thinnest dog she'd seen alive.

Dogs are being bred, and repeatedly inbred, with known major health conditions and deformities. The animals with the greatest genetic purity are being used for breeding because the traits of specific breeds are then exaggerated - but it is often these traits that cause horrific suffering.